Agricultural implement



July Z, 1946. W s GRAHAM 2,403,360

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT I Filed May 15, 1944 Patented July 2,

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT William S. Graham, Canton, Ill.; assigner to International Harvester Company,

New Jersey a corporation of Application May 15, 1944, Serial No. 535,637

(Cl. J7- 47) Claims.

This invention relates'to agricultural implements and particularly to tractor-mounted plows.

In plows of the tool beam .type wherein an elongated plow beam is utilized having plow bottoms at the rear end thereof, the forward end of the beam is generally pivotally attached to the tractor at a location considerably in advance of the rear wheels, and the tool-supporting end extends rearwardly thereof. While this solid beam construction is desirable when the plow is in operating position, the undercarriage of the tractor interferes with the upward movement of the plow totransport position, with the result that the tool-carrying rear end of the beam does not attain suflicient height above the ground for clearance.

The present invention is designed to'overcom this disadvantage and has for an object the prol vision of a novel tool beam construction for tractor-mounted implements.

Another object is to provide a novel plow beam structure wherein the rear portion of the beam executes an additional upward movement relative to the forward portion thereof when the plow is raised for transport.

Still another object is to provide a novel beam structure for plows and the like wherein the beam consists of separate forward and rearward portions connected by parallel links, and wherein the rear portion is permitted to move upwardly with respect to the front portion but not downwardly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the rear end of a tractor with one wheel removed and showing a plow embodying the features of the present invention attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, showing the plow in transport position; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure l.

In the drawing:

Numeral I0 designates the longitudinally extending body portion of a tractor having a transverse rear axle II journaled in a housing I2 and carrying laterally spaced rear drive wheels I3 and I4. at opposite ends thereof.

The plow of the present invention embodies a longitudinally extending beam structure I5 including separate forward an'd rearward sections I6 and Il, respectively. Forward section I6 comprises a beam portion I8 having a vertically ex- 7ceive for pivotal movement the tending portion I9 -at the rear end thereof. The forward end of beam I8 has secured thereto an angle member 20 having laterally extending anges 2I provided with laterally spaced openings to receive for sliding movement longitudinally extending bolts 22. Slidably mounted upon beam I8 rearwardly of member 20 is a similar flanged member 23 apertured to receive the ends of bolts 22. Members 20 and 23 are spaced by springs 24 surrounding bolts 22 and held by nuts 25 threaded to the ends of bolts 22. The forward ends of bolts 22 extending through member 20 are seated in the laterally extending anges of a clevis 26 bifurcated at Vits forward end and apertured to receive a vertically extending pin 21, by which the forward section I6 is attached to' a U-shaped bracket 28, secured to the forward portion of the tractor body. Thus forward section I6 serves as a flexible hitch connection for the plow of the present invention.

To the side of beam I8 near its rear end there is secured an angle member 23 having a laterally extending arm 30. Arm 30 is further braced with respect to the beam I8 by a strap 3l. Arm 30 is bent at its outer end to form an upwardly extending member 32 generally parallel to the portion I3 but terminating considerably short of the upper end thereof.

Pivoted in the upper end of member 32 and at the base. of portion I9 are laterally spaced parallel links 33. Likewise pivoted in an opening in A the upper end of portion I3 is a link 34 parallel to the links 33 and vertically spaced therefrom.

Rear portion I'I of beam structure I5 comprises longitudinally extending members 35 and 36 bent downwardly at their rear ends to provide for the attachment thereto of plow bottoms 31. It will be noted that member 35 extends somewhat rearwardly of member 36 in the conventional manner for a two-furrow plow, and the forward end thereof is bent laterally and secured to the forward end of member 36. Members 35 and 36 are further spaced and strengthened by a strap 38. The forward ends of members 35 and 36 extend somewhat in advance of the rear vertical portion of beam i8 and are adapted to rest upon the arm 36 when the plow is in operative position.

Secured to the sides of members 35 and 36 are bearings 39 and 40, respectively, adapted to rerear ends of links 33. Bearing 39 has an Aupright extension 4I apertured at its upper end to receive the rear end of link 34. Thus it is clear that forward and rearward sections I6 and I1 of beam structure I5 are connected by parallel links 33 and 34, and

, the right-hand link 33.

. ure 2 ,1and by virtuelation with ,the "section IB.

' stantial clearanceabove the v position the plow angle with respect one direction.

that the upright portion I 3 of beam I3 is `rear openings in the upper ends ofvlaterally spaced brackets 44 at opposite sides of the tractor body' l III and,` secured to attaching structures 45 clamped to the rear axle housing I2. Rock-Vshaft 43 is held against displacement in brackets 44 by collars 46. -To the right-hand end of shaft 43 is secured an arm 41, the outer end of which-,is connected by a link 48 to a lug 43 proiecting from Likewise secured to shaft 43 is another arm 50 parallel to the arm 41 and connected by a link 5I with a lug 52 on the left-hand link 33. Rocking of the shaft 43 is accomplished through an arm -53 projecting upwardly from shaft 43 and having attached thereto a forwardly extending rod 54. Rod 54 may be reciprocated by any suitable means to Vrock the shaft 43, such as a conventional lever and. quadrant arrangement or a power-lift mechanism in the form -of a hydraulic cylinder 55 preferably deriving energy from the tractor motor and anchored to the tractor at 56.

In Figure 1, the plow bottoms 31 are shown resting upon the surface of the ground. In this position, the sections I6 and I1 of beam structure I are inA parallel'relation, and section I1 rests upon the arm 30 securedto beam I8. From a consideration. of Figure l, it will be clear that when the plow is raised by actuating the lift mechanism 42,the entire beam structure I5 will be 'raised until the rear vportion of section I6 contacts the undercarriage of the tractor body' I0. As indicated in Figure 2, when section I6 first contacts the body` I0, the plow bottoms 31 will be fairly close to the ground, and sufficient clearance would not normally be provided. With the mechanism of the present invention, upon contact of section section I1 will continue to rise, as shownin Figof its parallel link conneca substantially parallel re- Thusv section I1, carrying the working tools 31, is assured subground whenthe .plow -is elevated upon the tractor for transport purposes, andupon returnto ground-working bottoms-31 will change their to the ground only slightly.

Having described the invention, lit should be understood that modiflcations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope What is claimed is:

1. In an. agricultural implement, a supporting structure, an elongated tool-carrying member pivoted at one vend on the supporting structure for vertical movement relative thereto, said member comprising separate forward and rearward sections, vertically spaced generally parallel links connecting said sections, and stop means limiting relative mov ment of said sections in tion,l will maintain I8 with the tractor body,-

. and extending to a location l 4 `comprisingseparate front longitudinally a longitudinally extending body,

and rear sections, tools carried by the rear Sectio means for pivotally attaching the front section to said supporting structure for vertical movement, the vertical movement of said frontsection being limited by engagement thereof with said supporting structure, vertically spaced parallel links connecting saidsections for relative movement, power lift means on said supporting structure, and means connecting lsaid lift means andysaid rear section for vertically moving said tool-carrying member.

3'. In combinationwith a tractor having a rear axle,- laterally spaced rear drive wheels and a extending body, a longitudinally extending beam 'structure comprising a front hitch sec'tion pivoted at its forward end to the tractor at a location in advance of the rear axle rearwardly thereof, a separate rear tool-carrying section, means connecting said sections for relative translational movement, liftmeans on the tractor, means connecting said lift means and said rearv section for` effecting` pivotal movement of said beam structure and translational movement of said rear section with respect to said front' hitch section, and stop means arranged to limit downward movement of said rear section with respect to said front section. y

4. In combination with a tractpr having a rear axle, laterally spaced rear drive Wheels and aA longitudinally extending beam structure comprising separate front and rearsections, said front section exi front section to the tractor for.vertical movement, vertically spaced rearwardly extending parallel links pivoted on said vertically extending portion,` tools carried by said rear section, means connecting said'rear section to the free ends of of the appended claims.

2. In an agricultural implement, a supporting said links for vertical translational movement with respect to said front section, lift means on the tractor, means connecting said rlift means with said rear section for vertical movement thereof, and means limiting downward movement of said rear section with respect lto said front section.

5. 'Ihe combination with a tractor having a rear axle, laterally spaced rear drive wheels and a longitudinally extending body, a longitudinally extending beam structure comprising a forward hitch section pivotally connected to the tractor at a location in advance of the rear axle and extending to a location in rear thereof, said hitch section being adapted to engage the body of the tractor to limit vertical movement thereof, and a separate rearward tool-carrying section in generally parallel relationi with said hitch section, means connecting said sections for relative translational movement, lift means on the tractor, and means connecting said lift means and said toolcarrying section for successively effecting vertical pivotal movement of said beam structure and vertical translational movement of said toolcarrying section with respect to said hitch section, while maintaining the relation of said sections.

WILLIAM S. GRAHAM.

generally parallel 

